Automated Voluntary Finger Lifting Rehabilitation Support Device for Hemiplegic Patients to Use at Home

Abstract

We have been proposing a robotic finger rehabilitation support device for hemiplegic patients that can be used at home. This device instructs a patient to lift a finger voluntarily and provides assistance when the patient is impossible to lift. In previous studies, we have shown an automated evaluation method which monitors the level of involuntary finger movement. However, the detailed procedure of finger rehabilitation has not been clarified. In this paper, we show a practical procedure of finger rehabilitation as well as a hardware design of the device. We also discuss safety issues during finger lift assistance. Our design limits the speed of finger lift so that it avoids unwanted contraction of finger muscles by stretch reflex. Also, the angle of finger lift is limited in our design so that it will not exceed the maximum excursion of an MP joint.